"Stronger than ever..." - UAE not only dominate competition but cast warning over Tadej Pogacar's evolution
Cycling
It comes to the surprise of no-one that UAE Team Emirates - XRG dominated the 2026 Strade Bianche, matching last year's first and third place with Tadej Pogacar and Isaac del Toro. However, it was a necessary performance for the World Champion who continues to prove he is evolving, despite his firm hold of the top of the sport.
"We knew he was strong and on form because we can see the training data and power. But then the race is the race, and even Tadej has still got to go and win, even if he makes it look easy sometimes," team manager Mauro Gianetti shared in words to Cyclingnews.
After Pogacar's performance in the sterrato sectors of Tuscany, Gianetti could only smile with the knowledge that 2026 might be a replica of previous years. Whilst the growth of Paul Seixas may threaten the reign of the World Champion in future years, the commanding gap at the finish line at Piazza del Campo proved to be argument Pogacar wanted to send to the competition in his first race day of the year.
Whilst in different race situations, the data shared by Velon also reveals Pogacar averaged 380 watts over his 80-kilometer solo attack; unlike the 340 he did in both 2024 and 2025. Not direct evidence of evolution, but the best possible sign.
UAE certainly have no doubt that there is no slowing down in the Slovenian's capacity to win the biggest races. "Tadej is stronger than ever, he's still improving. Every rider improves year on year, they have to, otherwise they eventually fall behind. Fortunately, Tadej keeps on surprising us".
According to a report from Het Laatste Nieuws, UAE is also putting in the effort to already, from early on, establish a bridgehead to potentially sign Paul Seixas in the coming seasons. This would ultimately keep UAE at the top in the post-Pogacar era, if the Frenchman really is to fulfill the potential that he is showing over the past year.
Read also
Del Toro and Seixas
"Isaac was strong but people seem to forget that he is number two in the world, he's the next best after Tadej. We all expected Tadej to do what he has done so often and we know that Isaac is strong too but Paul Seixas was incredible, he's perhaps the surprise at this year's Strade Bianche. He's only 19 and we can imagine what he will do in the future…"
However UAE already have their hands full at the moment, and with little worries. Isaac del Toro featured on the podium of the Italian classic, and Gianetti wanted to bring forward the performance of the Mexican in what was a convincing ride.
Now Del Toro will race Tirreno-Adriatico, and at Milano-Sanremo he will have a crucial role in the aid of Pogacar; since the team will lack both Jhonatan Narváez and Tim Wellens due to injury. With the team aiming to fire the race up the Cipressa as last year, it will be a key day for the two to work together - something that wasn't necessary this Saturday.
"We've got two weeks to prepare for Milan-San Remo in the hope of seeing Tadej win yet again."
Read also
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 3visitors 3
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- From knowing past cycling stars with shops I can only say, think it through. Not only is it mundane after a while but it really doesn’t take you out of the limelight, in the end you’ll be trying to stay away from the place yourself whilst all your fans keep coming for you.Jumpyjohn15-11-2026
- Careful investment? I think he can live very comfortably with zero investments, what does he need more? The world would do well if more people set a target for how much they need or would make them “happy” and then stop worrying about perpetually having to make more.Jumpyjohn15-11-2026
- Yes, Roglic could theoretically have beaten Sepp. Jonas must have had complete confidence that he could come back and win the Vuelta another year. Visma had not allowed Roglic to ride the Tour that year, so his future did not look so bright, despite his narrow Giro win..Hills3315-11-2026
- So far, a good series about riders before my time, even if the text feels AI generated like so much on this site. About the rider, he seems like one of many who are active fan favorites but don’t survive in the stories of cycling, a few decades later - I didn’t really know anything about him and this was a good read, thank you!RidesHills15-11-2026
- A calm, honest documentary, a bit of hagiography but mostly not too much. When he talks about a coffee shop, it aligns with several things in his world - he might want calm, but he does (more than a little bit) have someone near him (his fiancee) who makes sure that things happen the way he expects. Many atheletes have retired only to find out just how much others were taking care of their lives for them. If they work out (I'm old, things happen), I am sure it will take a renegotiation, which is a good thing. I truly enjoyed watching it, seeing him, seeing her, seeing the whole system built around him.RidesHills15-11-2026
- You do? My mother grew up around Bleiburg (Pliberk), across the border in Austria . My grandparents lived close to the train station in Bleiburg, and I spent a lot of the 70s and 80s there. The "Jugo" train of my youth went to Dravograd or Maribor, exotic places (behind the wall) at the time. What a moment that was, the 10 days war of '91 - times sure have changed.RidesHills15-11-2026
- I hope he rides a bitmij15-11-2026
- Greatest athlete this world has ever produced ! LOL ... you definitely are a comdian ! Cycling is so sprecialized and you think he's the greatest athlete ever ! Still laughing !frieders315-11-2026
- b.s. headline. Jonas wasn't told anything, it is just a pundit telling him what to do. the actual article is not even close to the insinuation of the headline.mij15-11-2026
- I think Roglic could have beaten Sepp. not Jonas. I was referring to Sepp.mij15-11-2026
Loading
2 Comments